The Lord’s Prayer - Day 8

With these words of praise we return to focus on the worship (worthship) of God, of recognising all that God means to us and for us, as we end the Lord’s Prayer.

Why do we need to tell God how good and great he is? Why are some of the greatest hymns and the grandest music devoted to this end? Why are we bidden to praise God whenever we pray? Many translations of the Gospels omit these words. Are they really relevant to us today?

In the praise and glory we ascribe to God, we capture the joy and excitement of being a Christian, a follower of Christ, of being God’s Son or Daughter, of being part of his great army, the Church. Our allegiance to God is expressed in our worship. Singing God’s praise together is one of the great unifying experiences of the Church. In worship we are affirming our essential relationships, that we are Sons of God, Brothers in Christ and that we are glorified in being so. We live in the reflected Glory of our Father. Our lives are illuminated and the narrow path we must tread is lit up by the example of his Son, Jesus Christ and by the continued presence of the Holy Ghost, the comforter He left us. What a wonderful way to live! It is so right that we should join together in the praise of our Lord.

For those of us whose faith is weak, who have difficulty in believing that this wealth is ours for the asking; worship expresses our aspiration to be spiritually part of this ‘Glorious Band’. By joining in worship with those whose faith is stronger, we express our great hope and ambition, to make this worship truly our own. We are pilgrims seeking God. Halleluiah!

Meditations
Consider "worthship" in the contexts you have experienced it in your own life, outside the framework of religion. Where does worship end and xenophobia start?
How does our society recognise worthship? Jesus came to turn the values of the world upside down. Are his values still the reverse of those of our own society? If we worship him and take delight in so doing, where on earth will this lead us? Should our identity as worshippers of Christ be more public?
Do you find worship to be an essential part of your prayers? Do you find it easier in the community of a Church service?

Does worship provide you with an identity or an identity that you can aspire to?

The central elements in a life of Prayer are Mindfulness, Contrition (with the concomitant determination to 'do better'), Worship, Praise, Thanksgiving and Petition.. The Lord's Prayer, together with the admonition before it, provide all of this. In the Prayer we find bread that is of Heaven and that we are privileged as Children of Christ and commanded in His memory to feed upon it. 

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